Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
“A spiritual joy is the greatest sign of the divine grace dwelling in a soul.” (St. Bonaventure) I wonder if it’s possible to be genuinely joyful and judgmental at the same time. I don’t think it is! Because, at least in my understanding, judgment is born of fear. And true joy is born of mercy and grace. Have you noticed that it seems the most judgemental people are also the least joyful? (Myself included when I’m not at my best.)
Today’s gospel passage (Matthew 12:1-8) includes Jesus’ same retort (quoting the book of Hosea) to the judgmental Pharisees as earlier in Matthew, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Although in today’s passage, defending himself and his disciples who were being accused of breaking the sabbath law, he adds, “If you knew what this meant…you would not have condemned these innocent men.”
St. Bonaventure, whose memorial we celebrate today, was an early Franciscan who, according to Robert Ellsberg (author of Blessed Among Us), “tried to steer a middle course between contending factions within the order – those who insisted on strict adherence to Francis’s spirit of poverty and those who took a more relaxed attitude.” Every religious group and even non-religious community, I suspect, has the potential for varied interpretations and ways of living shared beliefs. It’s the judging for those differences that seems to cause greater division and less joy.
What about us today? Have we yet learned the meaning of I desire mercy (or love), not sacrifice? Where is our spiritual joy – the greatest sign of divine grace’s presence in our soul? Let us ask for the intercession of these two great peace-makers, Saints Francis and Bonaventure, that we may truly know and live the mercy that leads to joy.
~Eileen Miller